Thanks, Igy. You seem to be seeing great results with your speedwork of late. I could have no better role model! And, yeah, that was part of my thinking in targeting the 5K for a year prior to tackling the BIG GOAL (3-hour marathon) in 2019: work on that aspect of fitness, keep mileage relatively low ... and stay healthy.
On the other hand, as a long-time low-mileage runner, never having had a big base may be my primary weakness. This year, despite my target races being the spring half marathon, and autumn full marathon, my best races (AG percentage) were a 5K and a 15K.
The 5K in April was my best Age-Graded effort of the year (82.2%), and I essentially trained through it. I was still sore from a 20-mile run earlier in the week. The marathon was only an AG 78.6 percent.
A 2:59 marathon at age 60 is an AG 83.4 percent, so I need to be looking at doing something VERY different from the past. Based on the AG calculator, that 2:59 is equivalent to an open 2:26 -- a daunting comparison for a guy with a 2:40 lifetime PR! But overall mileage is one component I have always neglected, despite best intentions otherwise.
Kevin, thanks for that input. Until I looked up a You-tube video, I didn't even know what an "elliptical" was! My local YMCA apparently has two of them; I may join, at least for the winter. I will soon be starting a multiple-month whole-house restoration project just two blocks away, so I should be able to schedule an hour a day at the Y. Maybe elliptical, treadmill, spinning, weights.
Rescue, that's a good thought. Gotta get over my fear of toeing the line when not quite feeling "race-ready." During early build-up phases, I usually don't have a problem with that, but my recent competitive efforts are still a little too fresh in my memory!
As of today, going on three months of no running, I can barely negotiate stairs, and still wake up in pain during the night. I haven't been proactive with the prescribed exercises, but it's still disconcerting that there has been so little improvement. Will have to see how things go once I start whole-body conditioning at the Y.
BTW, thanks to everyone who posted those great race reports! REALLY enjoyed reading them. I'm living vicariously, but better than not living at all!